


Honey, That's Alright

by ArizonaToToronto (BlaqkAudio)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 2019-2020 Season, Alternate Universe - Still Hockey Players, Angst with a Happy Ending, Coming Out, Dirty Talk, Enthusiastic Consent, Established Relationship, First Time, Internalized Homophobia, Light Angst, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mitch's POV, PWP, Slight Age Difference, Time Travel, Virginity, baby Auston is still in Narnia, basically just don't ask how Jumbo Joe got a time machine, bottom!Auston, past dubious consent, past shitty first time, unexplained science presented as fact
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-25 00:14:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14964950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlaqkAudio/pseuds/ArizonaToToronto
Summary: "You know what you should totally use the time machine for?" Auston asks him, later that night."What's that?""You should go back in time and take my virginity," he says, so casually. Mitch chokes on his sip of water."Oh my god, Aus," he splutters, wiping at his face and neck. He starts to laugh a little, mostly in disbelief, but Auston's serious expression doesn't waver."You're– you're serious," he says, and it's not a question.--Or: The time travel AU nobody asked for.





	Honey, That's Alright

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: If you know anyone mentioned in this fic in real life, please click away. Don't be weird.
> 
> See the end notes for clarification on my timeline!
> 
>  
> 
> Song title and lyrics from "Cocoon" by Catfish and the Bottlemen.

"Immediately I grab you.  
You go all red,  
Like the first time.  
I love it when you do that.  
God, I love it when you do that." 

 

+

 

It's over pretty fast. 

Mitch isn't surprised, considering how keyed up they've both been all night. 

It's kind of become a Thing, the way they'll go out for drinks with the guys to celebrate a big win, and inevitably leave early to go home and fuck. And everyone always knows what they're doing, anyway. They certainly aren't subtle about it. 

It always starts the same, both boys promising to keep it in their pants long enough to properly enjoy the night out. But then the drinks start flowing, and their hands start wandering, and something dark and slow and sexy will come over the club's speakers... 

The night goes off the rails every single time. 

It always ends the same, too, once the casual flirting has become increasingly obvious innuendo, and the eye-fucking across the table has given way to grinding on the dance floor.

They're in their early twenties and basically still honeymooning. Nobody blames them for it. But the chirps they get as they're leaving yet another club, clothes rumpled and mouths all swollen and wet, are pretty par for the course these days. 

 

So yeah, tonight it's over almost as quick as it'd begun. 

Auston finishes inside Mitch with a throaty moan, his hips pressed flush to Mitch's ass so he can grind in deep as he comes. Afterward, he slumps to the side, breathless and sweaty, and gathers Mitch close despite the mess. 

Auston holds Mitch for a while, wrapped up in a quiet contemplation. He walks his fingers across Mitch's sweat-damp skin, tracing idle patterns there that feel inexplicably good in the wake of Mitch's huge orgasm. And Mitch for the most part is pretty content to lay around in his own come, Auston's softening dick pressing sticky against his outer thigh. 

They're quiet for a long time, mostly just catching their breath. 

When Mitch eventually tilts his head back to look at Auston, he's got this strange, far-away look on his face. At first Mitch thinks maybe he's still come-dumb from the sex, but after a while it's pretty clear that he's thinking really hard about something. 

"Hey," Mitch says quietly to gently get Auston's attention. "What's on your mind?"

"Oh, I–" Auston starts to say, and he's uncharacteristically flustered about being caught. He takes a few moments to gather his thoughts, and Mitch waits him out, patient as he always is. "I was just. I wanted to ask you about, like, your first time or whatever."

"First time, what? Having sex?" Mitch asks, and yeah, he hadn't been expecting that at all. It's a pretty weird thing for Auston to have been thinking about, especially this intently. 

"Mmhm," Auston agrees, and doesn't elaborate. 

"Oh," Mitch says. He has to actually stop and think about it. They've already spoken pretty in depth about their prior sexual experiences, number of partners and the like, but not really about losing their virginities. Mitch remembers it being okay, not anything to write home about. It was far too long ago for Auston to feel any sort of way about it.

"Sure, yeah," Mitch says, not really sure where this conversation is headed, but he's got nothing to hide, so. "What d'you wanna know?"

Auston is quiet for a moment, like he's trying to find the words for something difficult to phrase. 

"I guess what I'm asking is... Your first time, it was good, yeah? He was good to you or whatever?" 

"I mean, yeah," Mitch says. He can feel his own face pinching with confusion. "It wasn't, like, not good," he offers. "We were really young and had no idea what we were doing, but an orgasm is like pizza, right? No such thing as a bad one?"

Auston gives him a funny look at that. He snorts and shrugs his big shoulders, asks Mitch "Were you guys together? When you did it?"

"Oh, no," Mitch says, shaking his head. "It was just like– a casual thing. As friends." 

"Hm. Do you, like, regret any of it? The timing, or– or the person, or anything?" 

"No," Mitch says again, because it's the honest truth. "It was awkward and messy and over, like, really fast or whatever. But it was with someone I trusted, and who I'd been messing around with for a while, so. I'm glad it happened how it did."

Auston doesn't say anything after that, doesn't ask anymore questions. 

"What about yours?" Mitch asks gently. He's a little bit afraid of the answer, feels a twisting in his gut as he waits for Auston to speak. He's suddenly pretty sure that this conversation isn't about himself at all. 

"Eh," Auston says, flippant. "It was, you know, he was..." He trails off with a shrug, and doesn't meet Mitch's eyes. 

"How did you know him?" Mitch prompts. It feels maybe like Auston doesn't want to talk about it, but also that he kind of needs to. 

"I didn't," Auston mumbles. "It was at this party, or whatever."

"Oh."

"It was– I mean, we were both pretty sauced? So like, how good could it have been, anyway, right?" The tightness in Mitch's stomach at Auston's words makes him feel slightly ill. The way Auston is keeping his voice so carefully neutral, like it's not a big deal, when it so clearly is... 

"That really depends, Aus. Like, did you tell him that you were– that it was your first time?"

Auston shakes his head. "He could probably, like, tell, though?"

"Auston, that's– I'm sorry."

"It's really whatever. It's been a couple years now, so."

"When was this, anyway?" Mitch presses. He knows he and Auston would have been teammates and friends by this point, because Auston hadn't come out to anyone until halfway through their rookie season. He searches his memory, tries to pinpoint when it could have been, tries to remember if he'd noticed anything off about Auston back then. 

"Summer after our rookie year," Auston confirms. Which makes sense, because he would've been back home in Arizona, and there's no way Mitch could have picked up on something being wrong over text, not if Auston had been determined to hide it. 

"Okay," Mitch says, and nods. His mouth is weirdly dry when he asks, "so it was bad, then?" Auston's lack of a response is as good as an affirmative. 

"Like... I was pretty scared?" He eventually continues. "I wasn't– you were the only person I'd told, about me being gay. I gave him a fake name. Kept hoping he was drunk enough to not, like, recognize me."

Mitch remembers this being a pretty volatile time for Auston. He remembers the guilt and the shame, the secrecy and the fear Auston would speak about sometimes. It wrings at Mitch's heart, the way he knows just how Auston would've felt that night, his sexuality seemingly at constant odds with his perceived responsibility to his franchise. He'd felt that the weight of the entire world had been on his shoulders.

"Aus," Mitch breathes, barely giving voice to the sound. He grabs for Auston's hand and holds it tight, cradles it between both of his own. 

"It really fuckin' hurt? And at the time I thought– It's dumb but I thought it was supposed to. Later obviously I learned that he hadn't prepped me for shit. Not enough lube, not a good position for it... Basically it just sucked. A lot. I didn't even get off, and he didn't give a shit about that, either."

Mitch's mouth tastes sour at Auston's admissions. He takes a deep breath and tries not to get upset, because Auston doesn't sound upset, just annoyed, maybe. Regretful. 

"I'm just– I'm just sorry," he tells Auston. He doesn't know what else he can say, or if Auston even needs him to say anything at all. He works instead at just listening, just letting Auston get it all off his chest, the whole ugly memory.

Auston tells him that he's not ashamed that his first time was a casual thing. Not even that it was with a total stranger. But he wishes the outcome had been different, because it had really messed up Auston's perceptions of sex for a long time after. It had been uncomfortable at best. The sloppy drunkenness, the awful fuckboy dirty talk, the total lack of care, which had made everything light up with pain instead of pleasure... Auston hadn't bottomed again for years, not until Mitch.

"I'm over it, now," Auston says with another shrug. "I just. Even back then, I'd wished it'd been you."

"Oh, Matty," Mitch says, feeling himself melt. He squeezes his eyes shut against the sudden want welling up inside him. "I'd give... I'd give anything for it to have been me."

 

+

 

It's a few weeks later when they find out about the time machine. 

They're over at Patty's for dinner, playing ministicks with the kids in the basement while Patty and Christina finish up barbequing steaks. 

They've just been told to wash up for dinner when Mitch notices it, the shiny metal contraption shoved in a corner next to Patty's basement washroom. It's big and complicated-looking, covered in little dials and a thousand different buttons and levers. It definitely hadn't been here the last time they were over. 

"Hey, Aus," Mitch calls over, beckoning to his boyfriend. "Come and look at this!"

"Whoa," Auston agrees as he walks up behind Mitch. He leans in closer to get a better look, but he's especially careful not to touch anything. "What do you think it is?"

"I have no idea," Mitch admits. "Think we should ask Patty?"

"Ask me what?" comes a soft voice from the bottom of the stairs. "Oh," Patty adds, once he's noticed what they're looking at, "that."

"Yeah, this, man! It's crazy. Looks like some kinda– like– space technology!"

And it turns out that Mitch's guess isn't that far off because it's a time machine. A time machine that belongs to Jumbo, who is storing it in Patty's basement (because Patty is definitely one of the most trustworthy grown-ups in the entire NHL. That part makes perfect sense).

Mitch doesn't ask why the fuck Joe Thorton owns time travel equipment, and he's not sure Patty would tell him even if he did. 

"Wow," Mitch whispers, in wonder. He turns to Auston excitedly, his hands flailing as he asks, "What would you use it for, if you could?"

"Probably for hockey," Auston says, which is so fucking typical. "Like, go back to where we let Fred face a stupid shot all by himself or whatever. We'd never have to lose again. What about you?"

And Mitch... doesn't really have a concrete answer. 

His life, all things considered, is pretty fucking great. He's playing hockey for a living, in front of sold out crowds, on the team he's been devoted to his entire life. He's dating basically the man of his dreams, and they're in love, and the sex is incredible. He has his health, and his family, and more money than he really needs to be comfortable. What could Mitch possibly want to change about the past? He doesn't really do regrets. 

He tells Auston as much. 

"That's so lame," Auston says, shaking his head. But the look in his eyes is fond, and his smile is sweet and happy. Mitch thinks it was the right answer. 

 

+

 

"You know what you should totally use the time machine for?" Auston asks him, later that night once they're home and in bed. 

"What's that?"

"You should go back in time and take my virginity," he says, so casually. Mitch chokes on his sip of water. 

"Oh my god, Aus," he splutters, wiping at his face and neck. He starts to laugh a little, mostly in disbelief, but Auston's serious expression doesn't waver. 

"You're– you're serious," he says, and it's not a question. 

 

+

 

It's surprisingly easy to convince Patty to let him use the time machine. 

"Listen," Patty says, in his best dad voice, "Jumbo did say that we could use it. Part of the deal with me agreeing to store it here, I guess. But there are rules, Mitchy, for messing with time travel. And they're really, really important. Do you understand?"

"Yes, dad," Mitch answers immediately, and he's not even being facetious. Like, he gets it. He's heard all about paradoxes, and how Bad Things happen if you meet yourself in another timeline. Plus, he's seen Doctor Who, so.

 

Patty excuses himself to give Mitch a moment alone with Auston, to say their goodbyes. They hug for a really, really long time before Auston kisses Mitch soundly on the mouth and pulls away to get a good look at him. 

"You're gonna do great," Auston says, seriously. "And he's really gonna– _I'm_ really gonna appreciate it."

Mitch takes Auston's hand. He looks right into his eyes as he tells him, again, how happy he is to be able to do this for Auston. 

"I know we've talked about how this isn't for me, like, at all. I just want you to know that I'm not doing this because taking your virginity matters to our relationship. It's not some weird achievement that the caveman side of me is after."

"Mitchy," Auston laughs, not unkindly. "I know that. I know you're only doing this because I'm asking. C'mon, you don't have to be nervous, seriously. Past me is going to say yes."

"I know. I'm just– I'm just trying not to find it so... Like, hot?"

"Oh my god, Mitchell," Auston sighs. They've been over this part, too. "You're allowed to find it hot! It is hot. What you're doing for me? Really, really sexy, okay? You're my boyfriend, and you were attracted to me back then, anyway."

"I know. I'm sorry I'm being weird."

"You're always weird," Auston says fondly. "Love you, okay? Be safe. Come home to me soon."

"I love you, too. And I will. Soon as I can."

 

The machine itself is nothing nearly as badass as the DeLorean, Mitch has to admit. He gets a pretty good look at the hardware as Patty fiddles with the many dials, presumably setting the time and location where Mitch will end up. 

"Remember, Mitchy," Patty says. He's got his hand on the machine's lever as he speaks. "Don't take anything. Don't leave anything. Don't let your past self see you under any circumstance. Be mindful of what you say about events that are yet to happen. I trust you, kiddo, but you've got to be careful, alright?"

"I know, Patty," Mitch agrees. "I'll be so careful. And I won't stay more than a couple hours. Promise."

"Alright. Ready to go?" 

"Yeah, I– I think so. Thanks for everything, man. See you on the other side?"

When Patty pulls the lever, Mitch feels a strong tug behind his navel, his whole body lurching backward. Everything goes dark, even as Mitch keeps his eyes wide open. It feels... It feels so much like being sucked down a big waterslide, arms trapped against his sides. Mitch is reminded inexplicably of riding The Black Hole at Canada's Wonderland every summer growing up, minus the water. He's surrounded by the most unnatural darkness as his body hurtles downward, gravity pressing in on him, a loud wind rushing in his ears. 

And then suddenly it's over, and everything goes silent.

The pressure on his limbs lifts, and he's left feeling light as air, like he's floating. His ears are ringing and he's breathing a little hard, but other than that, Mitch thinks he's made it through okay. He wiggles all of his fingers and toes, just to be sure. 

Once his eyes have adjusted to being able to see again, Mitch takes stock of his surroundings. It's winter, judging by the flurries of snow swirling around outside. He's sprawled out on a trendy leather couch and blinking against the midday light that's illuminating an intimately familiar apartment.

Mitch almost can't believe it. He looks around, blinks hard to clear his head. This is... This is Auston's first Toronto condo. Mitch would recognize it anywhere. 

The news broadcast playing on Auston's muted TV says it's January 2017.

And that means...

Holy fucking shit. That means it actually fucking worked. 

 

+

 

Mitch is channel surfing by the time Auston finally gets home from practice. 

He bolts upright at the first sound of a key in the lock, his heart starting to race nervously. For as much as he and future Auston had talked about this, he's still not sure how the hell he's going to explain all of this to rookie Auston...

He isn't given much time to decide if he should be sitting or standing when Auston walks in, so he stays where he is and hopes that Auston won't freak out. 

And of course, Auston notices him basically right away. He pauses, frozen in the open doorway with his keys dangling loosely in his hand, and just stares at Mitch on his couch. 

"What the actual fuck," Mitch hears him say under his breath. He eyes Mitch warily, but he's impressively calm, all things considered. "Okay, seriously, what the fuck? Who are you and how did you get in here?"

"Hi, Auston," Mitch says, feeling suddenly very shy. There's an anxious fluttering in his stomach that he's not used to feeling around Auston anymore. 

Auston kicks his apartment door closed. He opens his mouth to speak, but shuts it again with an audible snap when he realizes he has nothing else to say that will make sense of anything that is happening. 

The two of them lapse into an awkward silence and simply stare at each other, eyes wide. Auston lets his hockey bag slide to the floor, almost as an afterthought, and the movement appears to have broken the spell because he's able to speak again. 

"Like, okay, I know who you are. But you can't possibly be who I know who you are."

"I mean," Mitch says, shrugging helplessly, "I can show you my I.D. if you're still not sure."

"How are you– how is this possible? You literally just dropped me off from practice. Like. I just fucking saw you, Mitch."

"Listen, I know." Mitch agrees. He gets up off the couch, as non-threateningly as he can. "It's– it's totally crazy, right?"

"I mean, yeah?"

"And, uh," Mitch says. He wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans. "I. Uh. I do have a good explanation for all of this, I'm just... I'm not sure where to begin?"

"How about at the beginning?" Auston snarks. He leans back against the wall of his living room and crosses his arms over his chest, managing to look doubtful and annoyed, yet interested all at once. 

"Okay, the beginning, then," Mitch agrees, ignoring Auston's sarcasm entirely with a flippant wave of his hand. "Alright, so. In the future," he begins, trying to phrase his explanation in a way that doesn't give too much away. "Like, three years from now, I mean. We're really, really close with Patty."

"...Marleau?" 

"That's right."

"Um. Okay. I don't–"

"It's important to the story, I promise."

"Like, okay, you can explain, I just don't see how–"

"Look, man, in the simplest terms, Patty has custody of a real life time machine."

"A time machine," Auston echoes dryly.

"Yes."

"In the future."

"Yes, Matty, in the future." Mitch tries his best not to sound like he's talking to a complete child. This is difficult shit, he totally gets it. 

"And Patty just– he seriously just let you use it? To send yourself back in time, or whatever, without any supervision?" Auston raises a skeptical eyebrow, and it's all of the sass and attitude, all of the fake chill Mitch remembers from Auston's youth. Back when Auston had had a lot of defenses in place, a lot of walls built up around himself. 

It's fucking surreal is what it is, getting to see Auston the way Mitch only knows in memory now. The way Auston was before he grew slightly older, before he began to let those defenses be stripped away, piece by piece, with time. 

Mitch thinks Auston deserves a lot of credit, actually, because he's worked real hard to overcome the insecurities he'd had as a teenager. It started with learning to trust other people, to share the burdens he'd carried around inside his chest with people like Mitch. It was figuring out how to talk about his feelings, and how to let himself need people sometimes, let himself ask for help.

Mitch's Auston has learned to communicate through things other than strictly emojis and condescending facial expressions. This Auston? This Auston rolls his eyes a lot, and hasn't figured out how to blink properly yet. It hits Mitch right in the chest, how absolutely _young_ this Auston looks to him now. 

Mitch's Auston is far less of a brick wall, emotionally, and Mitch almost can't wait to get back to 2020 so he can tell Auston just how proud of him he is. 

He's getting ahead of himself, though. 

"Yes, he just let me use it," Mitch responds to Auston's snarky question. He resists the urge to roll his own eyes. "I'm, like, pretty responsible. In the future. Where I'm an adult."

"Oh, are you?" Auston says, and there's that fucking smirk, that cockiness that Mitch remembers so well. He'd loved it then, and he loves it just as much, now, as infuriating as it's always been. 

"A lot has changed in just a few years," Mitch tells him truthfully, because this Auston has no fucking idea. He really doesn't have a clue. 

He doesn't miss the way Auston gives him a slow once-over in response. It's not deliberate as far as Mitch can tell, but the intent is clear, Auston's pretty eyes lingering on the places Mitch knows he's bigger now, more defined. Mitch obviously hadn't meant physical changes, but he's low-key pretty thrilled that Auston is impressed by how hard Mitch has worked on himself. 

"Well, clearly," Auston says, wryly. He probably doesn't mean for it to sound like flirting, but the interest in his voice isn't very well disguised. 

And Mitch? He's so fucking conditioned to respond to that tone. He doesn't even mean to flirt back, but... 

"Mm," Mitch says with a lopsided little grin. "Future you definitely likes it. Nice to know past you also wants to get up on this."

Auston... Doesn't react at all how Mitch is expecting. He blanches at the flirting, and Mitch belatedly remembers that this Auston isn't out yet, hasn't told anyone, not even 2017 Mitch. 

"I– I don't know what you're–" Auston says, and his voice has gone flat, devoid of all emotion. When Mitch glances into his face, he sees how guarded Auston's expression has become. 

"You– I'm not– why would you think that I'm–"

"Oh," Mitch says, "Oh, honey," and the endearment honestly slips out without him meaning to say it. He raises his hands in a placating gesture and takes a tentative step toward Auston. 

"It's okay, you're good, Matty, you can trust me."

"Who told you?" Auston asks. His voice shakes a little, his unaffected mask beginning to slip. Now, his face is screwed up with confusion, and an anger that slowly cools to sadness as his worst fears appear to have come true before his eyes. 

Mitch knows how deep into the closet this Auston is, and he knows he needs to tread carefully. For this Auston, anybody knowing his secret is the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen. 

"You do, Matts. You tell me, about–" and he runs a quick calculation in his head, "about three or four months from now, actually." Auston's face smooths out a little at that. 

"I do?" He asks in a small voice. 

"Yeah. And I tell you about how I'm bi." 

Auston inhales a sharp breath, his eyes going wide. Several emotions are battling for dominance on his handsome face. Eventually, it appears that hope wins out, because Auston looks almost pleased, learning that his life will soon get to the point where he's comfortable enough to share the burden of his secret with someone else. Someone who will understand. 

Mitch is quiet for a long moment. He's mostly soaking it all in, and letting Auston come to terms with things, too. Eventually, Auston breaks the silence with a helpless sound. 

"I don't– Mitch." 

"Yeah, Matty?"

"Just– this is like. It's a lot. I'm. Wow."

"It gets weirder," Mitch admits with a laugh. 

"Of course it does..."

"Listen," Mitch says, "this is going to sound crazy, but..." He pulls out his phone and opens an album of photos of himself and his Auston, tilts his screen so that this Auston can see. "In the future, we're together."

"Together?" Auston asks softly, and he looks so sweet as he takes in the images of his older self kissing Mitch, holding his hand, hanging out with him in Auston's mom's living room in Arizona. 

"Like. Together-together?" He asks, awestruck as he runs his fingers reverantly over the screen of Mitch's iPhone. 

"Yeah," Mitch says, smiling gently. "Together-together." He lets Auston take the phone to scroll freely though the album, his hands shaking just a little as he does. 

"And this isn't– you're not, like, pranking me?"

"Auston, what? Of course not. We love each other, me and you. In my timeline we're– we've been together for almost a year."

Auston, to his credit, is holding himself together pretty damn well despite how absolutely shellshocked he looks. 

"And like, I know this was, uh, is, a really difficult time for you," Mitch continues. "We've talked about it, what you went through before you started coming out. I just want you to know that everything, every moment ends up being worth it. You've told me so."

"Is that why you're here?" Auston asks, and he rolls his eyes as he says, "to let me know that 'it gets better'?"

"Oh," Mitch says, and a laugh forces its way out of him. "No, that's not exactly–"

"Okay so does something happen, then? In the future?" Auston sounds kind of nervous, like maybe Mitch has come back in time on a mission to change something tragic that eventually comes to be. 

He's always watched too much Doctor Who. 

"Oh no, it's nothing like that. I'm here because of you, actually. Future you asked me to come back, as a, uh, favour."

"Okayyyy," Auston says again, and he draws it out, like he's annoyed, impatient for an explanation to make sense of why Mitch from three years in the future has materialized in his apartment. 

When Mitch can't articulate a response fast enough, Auston sighs and asks, "Seriously, Marns, are you going to tell me why?"

"Okay, so," Mitch begins, as delicately as possible. He takes his phone back from Auston, just for something to do with his hands. "You should probably know that your first time... with a guy... It's not– it isn't with me."

It's Auston's turn to say "oh". He looks disappointed at that, almost crushed by it. Mitch feels himself melt at the expression on Auston's face. He reaches out on instinct to rub a comforting hand down Auston's shoulder, desperate to soothe him. 

"It's alright, Aus, really. We don't get our shit together for a couple years, anyway. It's just... Recently we talked about it. Our first times. And you said that yours was... Like, really freakin' bad."

"Bad like how?" 

"Bad like, you were drunk and the guy was a total douche and you hated it," Mitch says bluntly. "Bad enough that you asked me to use the time machine to come back and take your virginity instead."

Auston flushes scarlet all over. His jaw drops open in surprise. 

"I– I asked you to– and you actually–"

"Of course I did," Mitch says, vehemently. "I'd do anything for you, first of all. And this is... It's important to you. Like I was gonna say no?"

"Mitch, I don't know if I... Um. Do you think we could, like, talk some more? Before we...?"

"Of course, Matty," Mitch is quick to say. "Of course we can. Here, sit down, I've got tons more pictures we can look at."

Auston, it turns out, is so eager to hear all of the finer details of their domestic life. And Mitch indulges him. He wants Auston to know just how perfect they are for each other, and the details of their relationship are relatively harmless, time-paradox-wise. 

He's careful not to divulge too many details about things that have not yet come to pass, though. He doesn't tell Auston about Lou leaving the organization, or what the 2020 roster looks like. He doesn't spoil who gets asked to be Captain, either, or what Auston's contract extension shapes up to be. 

"And people know? About us?"

"They do," Mitch agrees. "Your family, and mine. The team. Coach. Our close friends."

"And... And everything is okay? People don't care?"

"Everyone is really supportive, Matty. We talk about someday being out for real."

"So my mom isn't– she doesn't–" Mitch's heart twists almost painfully at the way Auston is suddenly blinking back tears. He gives in to the urge to pull Auston into his arms and fold him close against his chest. Auston goes willingly. 

"She really thinks you hit the jackpot with me," he jokes quietly. "She's... She's really proud of you."

"I want to tell her."

"You should. You _can_ , Matts."

Auston's next question is spoken so softly, so hopeful. It breaks Mitch's heart when he whispers, "Are we happy together?"

"We are so fucking happy, Auston."

"Then yes," he says with a nod, like he's decided something important.

"Yes, what, Aus?"

"Yes, you can– we should–" he takes a steadying breath and forces himself to meet Mitch's searching look. "I want to. With you."

"Okay. Yeah, we can definitely, definitely do that."

"I want it to be you. Like. I would've wanted it to be you, even before this."

And yeah, future Auston had already admitted this to Mitch, but it's still fucking wild to hear it from this Auston. 

Mitch feels his blood go white hot as he promises, "I'll take care of it, babe. Such good care of you."

 

+

 

It's in Auston's bedroom where Mitch intends to kiss Auston for the first time. He doesn't get to do it, though, because Auston actually kisses him first. 

It's exactly how their real first kiss, their 2019 kiss, goes down, with Auston taking the lead. And Mitch is perfectly content to let it play out like this. He takes Auston's hips in both of his palms, lets Auston wrap his arms around Mitch's neck and kiss him and kiss him.

Auston's a pretty good kisser. Mitch knows he's made out with a few girls by this point, so it makes sense. It warms Mitch inside to know that this Auston kisses a lot like Mitch's Auston, just less experienced, less confident. There's a fondness that blooms in Mitch's chest, unbidden, at how small Auston seems compared to what Mitch is used to, at the tentative press of his pretty mouth against Mitch's own. 

He doesn't exactly want to find this part so fucking hot, but he really can't help it. He likes being slightly taller for once, likes having Auston in a way that is so new to him, getting to ease him through this. The innocence of it all. 

They've barely started, and Mitch is so hard already. 

Eventually, Mitch has to pull away from their kiss, absolutely loving the sweet wet sound their mouths make as they part. He takes hold of Auston's elbow and uses it to guide him toward the bed. 

"Hey," Auston says, shyly, as he takes a seat on the edge of the mattress. "Do we, uh. Do we have a lot of, um, sex? Together?"

"Shit, yeah," Mitch says, and he laughs at the look of almost relief that passes over Auston's face. "We're basically insatiable."

"Oh," Auston breathes. There's a pleased flush to his (softer, rounder) face that stokes the burning in Mitch's belly. 

"The guys never leave us alone about it. We don't mind, though."

"Am I any good?"

"So good, Matty. Like, the best I've ever had."

" _Really_?" And Mitch is pretty sure he's not imagining the way Auston preens a little, puffs his chest out at the praise. Mitch decides, then, to stroke Auston's ego just a little more, if this is the kind of reaction he's going to get.

"Mm, the other night, we absolutely crushed Boston at home," Mitch starts telling him. He sits down next to Auston on the bed and reaches for him again. "We went out with the guys to celebrate, and every single time we swear we're going to stay for the whole thing, but we never do. Tequila makes you so fucking horny."

Auston makes an interested little sound, clearly liking where this story is going. His bottom lip is so perfect and red, and Mitch gets distracted, has to kiss Auston thoroughly again before he can continue speaking. 

"I want to say it's usually your fault that we always end up getting stupid handsy in the booth at the bar, but I know I provoke it, so I mean– I just love when you dance with me after."

The look Auston gives him is curious, but also fairly skeptical. Mitch huffs a tiny laugh because yeah, 2017 Auston doesn't dance. 

"You're not great at saying no to me," Mitch explains with a teasing smile. "We never dance for long, though. You drag me outta there pretty quick every time."

"Yeah?" Auston presses, his eyes going dark. His gaze drops to Mitch's mouth again as he asks, "I take you home?"

"Uhuh. You take me home and you absolutely wreck me."

Mitch really enjoys the way that makes Auston inhale sharply, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows hard. 

"Jesus, Mitch," Auston manages, and it's so fucking hot, Auston getting turned on like this for him, just from his words.

Mitch wants to tell Auston all of the filthy things they eventually do together. He wants to show Auston just how much Mitch loves going down on him, Auston tangling a big hand into Mitch's hair and just using Mitch, just fucking into his mouth exactly as he pleases. He wants Auston to know how good he is at eating Mitch out for hours, until he's loose and dripping with Auston's spit, an incoherent mess on their sheets. 

But ultimately he decides against spoiling anything like that. He remembers just how much fun it had been discovering those things together in the first place, and he doesn't want to rob Auston of the opportunity. He has so many fond memories of their exploratory phase, and the reality of what they do with each other is so much better than fantasy.

Instead, Mitch runs his hands up and down Auston's sides and takes his mouth in another hot kiss. When he presses Auston back to the bed, Auston goes eagerly, tugging Mitch on top of him.

Future Auston really loves having his neck kissed. Mitch dips his head down to see if this Auston loves it just as much. Sure enough, Mitch can feel Auston's whole body shiver at the warm press of his lips against Auston's vulnerable throat. 

"Yeah, thought you'd like that," Mitch murmurs into Auston's skin. He bites down, starts sucking an impressive bruise there just because he can. Auston makes the most perfect fucking sound in response, and Mitch licks the noise right out of his mouth. 

They make out just like that, nice and slow. Mitch lets his hands wander across the strong expanse of Auston's biceps, his shoulders, his back. He can feel Auston starting to get interested, his cock hardening against Mitch's hip, and it's exhilarating. He's the first person to have done any of this to Auston, and it's the hottest thing Mitch has ever experienced. 

It's driving Mitch crazy, and they've barely started. 

Mitch brings his hands lower. He toys with the hem of Auston's tshirt before pushing it up to his armpits. Then he sits back a little to get a long, delicious look at Auston's bare chest, the solid bulk of his stomach and waist. He'd almost forgotten how fucking good Auston looked at only 19. Mitch is burning up with the need to eat this boy alive.

So he basically does. 

He curves himself low over Auston again, scoots down the bed so he's nice and level with Auston's abdomen. Then he spends far longer than is strictly necessary sucking hot, hot kisses into Auston's skin. He runs his tongue over the muscles of Auston's chest, his firm stomach, loves the way it makes Auston take these shaky little breaths.

It's surreal, getting to touch this body that he knows so well, yet is so unfamiliar with. And Auston's responses are almost too good to be true. He's so sensitive and sweet, and really just hungry for Mitch's mouth all over him. So Mitch indulges him, sucks and nibbles and kisses as much of Auston's body as he can, while Auston lays there, and trembles, and lets him. 

When Mitch finally reaches for the button on Auston's jeans, Auston lifts his hips like he's on autopilot, eager for there to be fewer layers between them. 

"Can I take these off?" Mitch questions anyway, just to be sure. 

"Yeah. Yes, please."

Mitch tugs Auston's jeans down over his ass and hips. He takes Auston's briefs with them, letting the material bunch around his thighs. The sight it makes is fucking obscene, Auston half undressed, his clothing simply pushed out of the way for Mitch's hands and mouth. And he's stretched out across his bed like an offering. 

Auston's gorgeous cock is hard and dripping against his abs, the red, wet head peeking out from where he's uncut. He smells clean from his post-practice shower, but Mitch can also smell the salty tang of his precome, can see the wet spot it's left in the front of Auston's briefs. 

It's a page right out of twenty-year-old Mitch's dirtiest fantasy. (Though he's pretty sure twenty-three-year-old Mitch appreciates it all the more.)

"God, you're fucking amazing," Mitch sighs, his words a soft exhale over Auston's skin. He presses another dirty kiss to the sweet join of Auston's pelvis and thigh, lets his wet lower lip drag. The way Auston's hips jerk, the way he whimpers like he can't possibly hold back the sound... Mitch can feel his mouth watering. 

"So perfect, Auston."

Auston smiles, ducks his head just a little. He shimmies the rest of the way out of his clothing, like he's impatient to keep going now that they've finally started, but he lets Mitch look his fill first. He obviously isn't shy about his body, used to years of lockerrooms and communal showers. And anyway, Mitch knows he's worked hard for how he looks. He should be proud of how attractive he is. 

(Mitch keeps quiet about how much bigger and stronger Auston will get within just a few years. Mitch's Auston can deliver a truly punishing hit on the ice, which is ridiculously sexy. He can also hold Mitch down effortlessly, and fuck him until he cries, which is even sexier.)

"You too?" Auston asks. He gestures to where Mitch is still fully dressed. "Can I– wanna see you."

"Yeah, of course. Go ahead, babe," Mitch tells him, and Auston doesn't waste a second. He sits up, grabs for Mitch's shirt with both hands and tugs it off of him, flinging the garment across the room. Mitch can't even find the breath to laugh about it. 

Together, they manage to get Mitch's jeans off. Mitch feels his cock start absolutely drooling from the sound Auston makes at the sight of Mitch's erection tenting out his boxers. It occurs to Mitch that this is the first time Auston's ever seen a man naked outside of the context of hockey, and if that isn't a heady rush of power that Mitch has never experienced before...

It's. Yeah. Wow. 

And for as inexperienced as Auston is, it's clear that this is something he's been thinking about for a while, getting intimate with another guy. His tentative hands feel fucking incredible where they're rubbing at the front of Mitch's boxers, growing bolder by the second. He fits his hand so nicely around Mitch's length, stroking and squeezing, just getting used to the shape of it in his palm.

"Mitch, can I–?" Auston asks before long, tugging gently at the waistband of Mitch's boxers. He sucks his own lower lip into his mouth, like maybe he's nervous. Like Mitch could deny him absolutely anything. 

The way he's half laying, half sitting in the bed has him positioned lower than Mitch, so Mitch gets the full effect of Auston glancing up at him from beneath his lashes as he honest-to-god asks if he can pull Mitch's dick out, if that would be alright.

If Auston weren't so new to this, Mitch would think he's being coy on purpose.

"Take them off, Aus."

Auston doesn't waste any time. He pulls Mitch's boxers away from his hard cock and gently tugs them down. There's a beautiful, reverant little sound that catches at the back of his throat at the sight of Mitch's bare dick, and Mitch feels another fat bead of precome ooze out in response. 

Auston touches the pads of his fingers to the glistening head, rubs them there. His hand comes away wet, and Mitch moans out loud when Auston brings his fingers to his mouth for a taste. 

"Jesus, I can't wait to fuck you." Mitch tells him.

"Do it, yes," Auston says in a shaky voice. He looks overwhelmed, but in a really good way. "How should I, um. How do we usually–?"

"You really, really like it on your stomach," Mitch shares, because he knows that Auston does.

"I– yeah, okay." Auston says quickly. "Should I– now?"

"Mm, if you're okay with that. It makes it much easier for your first time, actually. Fingering you will be easier, too."

"Okay," Auston breathes. He rolls over onto his belly as gracefully as he can manage, being as hard as he is. Mitch reaches for a pillow and helps Auston tuck it comfortably beneath his hips, getting his body angled just right. 

Auston really does like getting fucked in this position, and yeah, Mitch really likes fucking Auston this way, too. He loves being able to see Auston's face, sure, but Auston has the absolute epitome of a hockey ass. It's seriously the 8th wonder of the goddamn world. And with Auston ass-up just like this, it's perfectly on display, firm and round and right there for Mitch to watch his dick sink into. 

"Gonna get the lube," Mitch tells Auston as he climbs off the bed, searching for his discarded jeans. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," Auston says, with a decisive nod of his head. "I'm– yeah."

"Can you spread your legs for me?" Mitch questions, returning with the tube. A sizzling heat flares in his gut at how quickly Auston does as he'd asked. Mitch gets back up on the bed and settles onto his knees, right between Auston's splayed thighs. 

"That's good, Aus. Think you're ready to try fingers?" 

"Please, yes, I want–" Auston says. He glances back over his shoulder at Mitch, and Mitch can't get enough of the look in his eyes. 

"Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. You know that, right?"

"I– yes. I know."

"Okay. I just need you to promise me one thing, alright?"

"Anything, Mitch."

"I know you might be tempted to mess with the timeline after this. And, like, 2017 Mitch is so fucking attracted to you it's not even funny, so he'd totally go for it. But I need to ask you not to."

"What do you mean?" Auston frowns. 

"I mentioned before how it takes us a couple years to figure shit out. And that's how it has to happen, okay? The– the timing is everything. If we tried to be together sooner, it just... It wouldn't work out. Please trust me on that."

"I– we–" Auston starts to say. He must realize that Mitch is right, though, because he cuts himself off and just sighs sadly. "Okay. I promise."

"Thank you," Mitch tells him earnestly. He presses a few grateful kisses to the top of Auston's spine, the back of his neck. "And I really just– I want you to know that I love you, okay? I love you and I'm really fucking honoured that you asked me to do this."

Auston, for the most part, looks dazed. The side of his face is pressed into the pillow beneath his head, and his eyes are wide. 

"Mitch, I... There's seriously a world where you say that to me every single day?"

It's so heart-wrenchingly endearing that Mitch almost can't stand it. 

"Every goddamn day," he swears. "And I'll keep telling you that."

"I love you, too," Auston whispers, still in awe. Mitch is pretty sure it's a feeling this Auston's been harbouring for a while, but hasn't dared to speak aloud before now.

"Aus, if you want to stop at any time, just say the word. But if you let me, I'm gonna make you feel so, so good."

"Please," Auston says again. And Mitch can't make him wait, not when he's asking so fucking nicely. 

Auston tilts his neck to be able to watch Mitch as he gets his fingers nice and slick with lube. Mitch uses his clean hand to rub at Auston's back as he touches his other hand to the very bottom of Auston's spine, the top of his crease. Auston is so warm to the touch, so pliant and ready, and it's all so beautiful to Mitch.

 

Just as he'd planned, Mitch takes his time fingering Auston open. He tells Auston that they're going to go slow, and he intends to stay true to his word. He definitely can't risk having this be anything like Auston's real first time. The thought of that makes him feel sick inside. 

Auston admits that he's never touched himself here, which Mitch had suspected. It doesn't make hearing it any less hot, though. 

So he starts with just one finger, rubbing it up and down the length of Auston's crack, stroking between his cheeks. It's more to get Auston used to the feeling, and less to be a tease, but it gets Auston incredibly keyed up anyway. 

"Oh," Auston gasps, the first time Mitch caresses over his hole. Mitch can feel his hips twitch against the bed, so he does it again, presses a little harder against the slowly loosening muscle. 

For a long while, Mitch doesn't even dip his finger inside. He keeps up his gentle stroking, petting at him until Auston's rim starts to give in to the easy pressure, threatening to swallow Mitch up. Only then does Mitch press his finger in to the first knuckle. 

 

By the time Auston is squeezing down around three of Mitch's fingers, he's close to falling apart in Mitch's arms. And like, of course Mitch knows how much Auston loves this. That part isn't a surprise. But young Auston is so fucking innocent, so raw in how he expresses his pleasure.

"Do we– is it always like this?" Auston asks in a choked voice. 

"Like what, Matty?"

"Like. Are you always the one doing the– um."

"Oh," Mitch chuckles softly as the realization of what Auston is asking dawns on him. "No, not always. Uh. We do it the other way a lot, you– you fucking me. We really, really like that."

Auston looks strangely relieved at the idea that he'll end up getting to have it both ways. And yeah, Mitch remembers being young and into guys, and having to rely on the internet to figure out how exactly that's supposed to work. He doesn't blame Auston for maybe freaking out a little that he'd have to commit to, like, either bottoming or topping. Not when both are so fucking good. 

The rim of Auston's hole gives nicely around Mitch's fingers now. He twists the digits deep, deep inside, grinds them against Auston's prostate just to hear him moan helplessly. Then he pulls his fingers out, which makes the dirtiest little sound as Auston's ass tries its best to keep him inside. 

Mitch thinks he could spend the rest of his life listening to Auston whining at the loss of Mitch's fingers in his ass. It's the sexiest thing he's ever heard. 

"I know, I know," Mitch coos, in an attempt to soothe him. "Gonna give you what you want."

Mitch fishes a condom out of the pocket of his jeans. There's honestly no real reason to use one, because Auston is a virgin and Mitch hasn't been with anyone else except Auston in a long, long time. In 2020, they don't use them. But... Somehow it just feels right to give this Auston the peace of mind that Mitch is taking care of every possible concern. 

He grabs for the lube again and slicks up his cock, getting it absolutely sloppy and wet. Just to be sure, he squirts another healthy dollop right between Auston's cheeks. 

"You ready?" He checks in with Auston. 

"Yeah, yeah," Auston all but whines. His eyes have gone beautifully glassy, unfocused in a way that makes Mitch's dick twitch in his hand, impossibly hard now. 

He gets himself situated between Auston's spread legs, lets the blunt, wet head of his cock press up against Auston's sweet hole, gaping a little from his fingers. He can _feel_ Auston's shaky inhale, loves that Auston seems to want this just as bad as Mitch does. 

"Can you take a nice, deep breath for me, sweetheart?" He asks, his voice dipping, sultry and low. "Breathe in, and then out?"

Auston does, his chest rising and falling with it. Mitch starts to ease inside as soon as he sees Auston letting go of the breath. He can't tear his eyes away from the sight of his slick, swollen cock spreading Auston open, sinking inside. He runs his thumb around Auston's tight rim, and feels him shiver.

"Fuck," Auston sighs, as the flared head of Mitch's dick breaches him for the first time. He barely makes a sound, but Mitch can see the way his knuckles go tight in the sheets.

"Push back on it, Aus, just relax. Let me in," Mitch coaches in a tight voice, stroking his hand in soothing circles over Auston's lower back. His other hand keeps a steady grip on his cock. "Just like that, there you go."

Auston shivers in Mitch's arms through every inch Mitch gives him, breathing sharply through his nose. It takes some time, but then Mitch's hips are pressed perfectly flush to Auston's ass, and Auston's hole is fluttering around his dick, squeezing down on him experimentally.

Mitch runs both of his hands down Auston's sides and grabs onto his hips in a firm hold. He gives Auston a moment or two to adjust to the stretch of it, grinding a little deep inside but not thrusting, not yet. Every shiver that runs through Auston's body, Mitch swears he can feel it on his cock. 

"Oh, Jesus, I can't– you're inside me, Mitch," Auston chokes out. He sounds like this is a lot for him, but not like he's uncomfortable or sore. Mitch gives him another little grind that has him whining in the back of his throat, almost in disbelief. 

"You okay?"

"Uhuh."

"You want me to move?"

" _Please_..."

And how can Mitch say no to that? Auston's voice is absolutely soaked with sex, and the innocently imploring look he shoots Mitch over his shoulder is gonna kill Mitch. His dick fucking throbs as he eases himself back, pulls out nice and slow. He lets Auston feel the drag of it inside, until just the head of Mitch's cock is still nestled in him.

Then, he rocks his hips and grinds back in. It punches the most incredible sound out of Auston, who is already figuring out how to press back into Mitch's easy thrusts, how to attempt to match his rhythm.

"Slow," Mitch reminds him, before Auston can get too carried away. Auston gives a jerky little nod from where he's buried his face in his arms. 

Mitch can't take his eyes off of where he keeps disappearing inside Auston. Everything is a hot, wet squeeze that has Mitch's vision whiting out around the edges. Auston's still got both hands twisted in the sheets. He's breathing hard, a beautiful red flush spreading rapidly down his neck and chest. 

"Oh," he gasps softly, as Mitch shifts his hips and changes the angle just a little. It must brush against something that feels pretty nice for Auston, because he chokes on his next breath and squeezes down on Mitch like a vice.

Mitch fucks Auston just like that, each thrust measured and steady. Auston seems to like it most when he alternates between shallow drags of his dick, and deep, filthy grinds that have him moaning softly into his pillow. 

Eventually, Mitch thinks Auston is ready to take it for real. He pulls out gently, shushes Auston's little sound of protest. Then he tips Auston onto his side and nudges at Auston's leg until he brings it up to his chest. The new angle opens him up so nice for Mitch's cock, and Mitch wastes no time getting back inside him. 

He thrusts harder now, loves the way Auston's back arches at the new position. 

"Oh, oh, fuck," Auston moans around the knuckles he's pressed into his mouth. He shoves himself back against Mitch, ass snug in the cradle of Mitch's hips as Mitch spoons up against him.

"How's that feel, Matty?" 

"Don't– don't stop, Mitch, please, it's so good–"

"Just like this?" Mitch asks with a dirty little grin that Auston can't see. Auston lets his head fall back onto Mitch's shoulder, baring his neck as he moans again. Mitch brings a hand up, grips gently at his throat, and Auston fucking sobs. 

"Can you– harder?" He all but begs.

So Mitch fucks him nice and hard, keeping his thrusts as even as he can. He can tell that Auston is getting close for him, knows by the way his muscles are going tight, the way he moans breathy little "uh, uh," sounds with every press of Mitch's cock against his prostate. He won't be able to come without a hand on his dick, though, so Mitch frees up a hand to reach around and help him out.

"Oh, Mitch, fuck," Auston sobs, torn between fucking up into Mitch's fist or back onto his cock. 

"You getting close, babe?" Mitch pants in Auston's ear. Auston shivers hard, whines as he nods his head over and over. "Gonna come for me, Matty?"

"Yeah, yeah," Auston gasps wetly into the pillow. "Fuck, gonna make me _come_."

When he does, it's the most gorgeous thing Mitch has ever seen. Auston arches his back as his whole body goes tight, his ass squeezing down so hard and hungry on Mitch's dick. Mitch strokes and fucks him through it, electrified by Auston's desperate sobbing moans of his name. 

Auston isn't even done coming before Mitch is suddenly at the edge of his own orgasm. He doesn't try to hold on any longer, just lets himself let go, hips grinding in deep as he pulses into the condom, into Auston's perfect ass. 

 

+

 

Auston tries valiantly to hide how miserable he feels when Mitch finally has to start getting ready to leave.

"I know, Aus. I do. And I'm really sorry, babe, okay?"

"How long?" Auston asks, his voice a soft, sad thing. "How long before we finally...?"

Mitch sighs, because yeah, it's a while from now, and it had fucking sucked for him, too. He rubs a soothing palm over Auston's side, curls his hand over Auston's ribs, and tells him, "Officially? The end of our third season together."

Auston lets out a slow breath, like he's deflating. 

He's quiet for a few moments after, mulling over what he wants to say next, before asking Mitch, "Do we, like, see other people? Before then?"

Once again, Mitch is struck by how absolutely young this Auston looks. There's a hunger clawing at his insides, a burning need to wrap himself around rookie Auston and hold him close, protect him from the things Auston will go through before he belongs to Mitch. But he can't. He knows he can't. Patty had been very, very clear about meddling. And anyway, the road ahead is tough, but the fact that Auston overcomes it, owns it and survives, makes him the hockey player he becomes, and the man he is at 22. 

"Yes," Mitch answers him honestly. 

"And if I don't want to?" Auston asks, petulantly. His jaw is set in defiance, a fierceness lighting up his eyes.

"Baby," Mitch sighs. 

"I love hearing you call me that," Auston admits. He sounds grumpy about it, though. "I don't know how you can expect me to– ugh. How do I go back to not being with you?"

"I'm sorry," Mitch says. "I know, and it sucks. But I promise you're going to meet some guys who are worth your time and make you feel really good. Just until we're ready for each other."

"But how will I know when that is?" 

And Mitch knows he's not supposed to reveal too much, but he can't possibly deny Auston this. 

"It happens in June," Mitch tells him softly. He brings Auston's hand up to his lips, kisses tenderly at Auston's fingers. "After we– well. Once hockey is done for the season."

"What's it– what's it like?" 

"It's amazing," Mitch says, as open and honest as he can. "In hindsight, we realize that we'd been building up to it for months. And we have this, like... moment. Just the two of us left in the lockerroom. It's really intense. You look at me with just... So much on your face, and I can't look away even if I wanted to. And then, you just– you kiss me right up against my stall."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. We don't even speak, not at first. But after, you say the most romantic thing to me. I don't– I don't wanna ruin it for you, but. You'll know, Auston."

 

+

 

By the time Mitch is finally ready to head back to his own timeline, it's kind of late. He knows he told Patty he'd only be a few hours, but he couldn't just take Auston's virginity and disappear on him right away. 

So he stays.

He makes them dinner while Auston showers, and then promises Auston that he'll be there until Auston falls asleep.

Before he heads out, he snags some paper and a pen, because he doesn't feel right leaving without saying goodbye one final time. 

It only takes a second to figure out what he wants to write:

_"Trust me. When it's time, you'll just know._

_-Love, M xx"_

He leaves the note on Auston's bedside table, where he'll see it when he wakes up, and takes a deep breath. He's surprisingly ready to go back.

So he shoots off a quick text to Patty, closes his eyes and relaxes all of his limbs in preparation. Soon enough there's the insistent tugging behind his navel, the plunge of darkness, the rushing wind. He's speeding down that waterless waterslide, laughing the entire way because he's fucking going _back to the future_ , how dumb is that?

 

+

 

(When Mitch arrives back in 2020, he's immediately scooped up into a pair of strong arms and actually fucking spun around in a circle. Auston is such a cliche. 

What he's really not expecting, though, is for Auston to take him aside later and pull out his wallet. Mitch is confused at first, until Auston reveals a creased and faded square of paper with Mitch's handwriting inside. 

"You kept it," Mitch says, breathlessly.

Auston's answering kiss says it all. )

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Leave me comments about what you liked or what you didn't! As always, I appreciate all of the feedback :).
> 
> This trope is one of my absolute favourites. I used to see it pretty frequently in mid 2000's bandom fic, but it's not something I've seen in hockey fic yet. 
> 
> Figured I'd give it a go. Write the fic you want to see in the world, right?
> 
>  
> 
> A few timeline things to note:
> 
> -The "future" stuff happens in the 2019-2020 season. Mitch would be 23 and Auston would be 22. 
> 
> -They started dating toward the end of the 2018-2019 season (the final year of their ELC's). 
> 
> -Mitch travels back in time to their rookie season (2016-2017), where Auston would be 19. Auston had his whole gay discovery crisis probably a year or so before this, but won't have officially lost his virginity until the offseason right before he turned 20.
> 
>  
> 
> As always, you can join me at ArizonaToToronto @ Tumblr!


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